Method of treating a running blanket of staple length artificial fibers



Jan. 5, 1954 c. w. COX

METHOD OF TREATING A RUNNING BLANKET OF STAPLE LENGTH ARTIFICIAL FIBERS Filed April 12, 1949 INVENTOR. CHARLES W COX M4; MAI

Patented Jan. 5, 1954 ITED ME HOD T IN A NNI G ZBLANKETQ .S LELENGIHART TEICI LJ JBEK charms-1W. flex, S .A ns, W-

ass en 1&9 Amt itan N sees Co p ra ion mitates Hel a corporation of Delaware ApplicationApril' -12, 194$,Serial No. 87,089

This g. invention :relates to @a process for wet .treatingxa blanket ".Qf. unconnectedgloose"fibers: in bulk whichrisynarticula-rly useful'i'forintroducing gliquids ;intoi-runningtblankets of fibers of the lengths found ingnaturalrfibers suches cotton or wool, and the various types of synthetically .producedstapleffibers.

. Nearlygall types of :;textile fiber of 1 the lengths found inznaturalffiberand artificially produced staple are subjected rto wet :treatments ,at some 1 over the surface ;of-a eonveyorvhaving: a foraminous surface asa blanket .01 :uniform depth. 'One .type of conveyorrpreferred .-by-;the stap1e manufacturer is EL- SGIflQSiOf fwalldng;rail,machines which are used .tmadvance the blanketthrough a-.series of spray=stations in .whichrthe blanket is; showered with "various :treating: liquids I from overhead spray adevices. Extending alongside .the walkingrrail apparatus: in:- thez-blanketcare ,upright.v sidewalls :or baffles whichprevent z the liquid from draining laterally 'fromnthe blanket. -The liq id infiltrates or trickles through the .blanket. and drains away through @the clearances be ween the malls. ,Theblanket, .asit passes ;throug-h the -:Val'i0l1s shower stations, tends to become '1 more packed and less permeable as a :l fiSllltjOf the liquidsprayed-thereupon. To compensate for the slowness vOf liquid penetration resulting ;,from packing-the fibrous material, it aisxnecessary to adjust the length of the wet treat- .rnentrzones so that-sufficient area and time will the; provided for 1 the vliquidto pass through the lblanket. -Moreover, as slight differences in the l-thickness-and :density between sections of the .J-blanket produce substantial differences ,in the irate l e 1 nassage -i 0f --:;the treating liquid through .these;sections of?theeblanket} uniformly treated ifiber -js difficultto obtain.

Ityis-anobject oftthe; present invention to provide a method for wet treating a running blanket of unconnected fibers oiutextile length to obtain rapid-passage ofthe treating fluid through the .fiberrzand to: substantially-reduceithe space and .-,equipmentzneeded to carry; outithe' liquid treatsment. ltd is another object tonarry out a liquid .treatment. in which? tbe'gtlieajillg liquid: is; more i-thorough and-uniform treatment. Another obiect: iseto disperse the-fiber-during the treatment so as to produce finished staple fiber-havin a high degree of separation or openness. :It is still another objectto-increase-the.capac1ty of existing .wet treating equipment. :Other .ob-

jects, features, and advantages ;will be apparent *from the =following descriptionof the invention and the drawings in which Fig. 1 isapictorial view-of Wet treating appa ratus for fibrous-blankets withportions cutaway to better illustratean embodiment ofthe inven- =tion and a modification thereof;

streams-of,a'treating liquid is discharged into .a running blanket ofloose or unconnectedfibers of textile length,-in a pattern extending transversely with respect to the movement ofthe blanket. The-liquid is-dischargedin-a direction such that it meets the blanket at a vertical angle less than a right angle-measured between the approaching paths-of-the liquid and the blanket.

The blanket is carried on a-liquid-permeablecon- -vey0r surface. The liquid is prevented: from leavingthe blanket laterally byany; suitable means such as uprightwalls or --bafiles-extending along theed es of the conveyorsurface.

In Fig. 1. a blanket ll isshown supported on i the rails: I 0' of a walking rail conveyor. The apaparatus :is provided with sidewalls or baffles I I .140 1.

extending vertically from -opposite sides of 1 the surface. of v I the I conveyor to prevent the liquid from being discharged laterally from the blanket.

Supported between the baffles I I at each side are the liquiddistributors I4 and I5, each pivotably supported-- by; axialnienfibers such as; the; shat-ts I I; and I tor-the distributor l 5 ;onthe top edges -of-the =bafiles I I- between the-pegs I2. I'he distributor I4 is supported in a similar manner "on '1 the bafiles. "The distributors; I4 and I5 consist basically of= conduits such; as the tubes 20" and 35 supported 1 transversely over the I running blanketwB whichareapertured along a surface *facing the: blanketv andwhich Y are suppliedfby r suitable .-feBd%11l1bBSlf 2 It. and 2 la, respectively, and i connected withiareserve liquid==supply reservoir (not shown). For example, in the distributor I5, the feed tube 2| is connected in T arrangement to a portion of the top wall of the tube 20 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. A supply line 22 is attached to the feed tube 2| at the union 25. Extending from each end of the tube 20 are brackets 26 and 21 having axle members or trunnions l1 and I8 extending therefrom. A bafiie 29 is secured to the liquid distribution tube 20 along a length thereof corresponding to the width of the blanket 8. The bafile 29 extends from the tube 20 to the region in which the liquid discharged from the tube 20 enters the blanket 8. During operation of the apparatus, the baffle is supported at sufficient clearance with the conveyor rails 10 so that liquid and fibrous material of the blanket may pass under the baflie in the direction in which the blanket is advancing. The mixing of the liquid and the material of the blanket produces a suspension or slurry from which the liquid drains through the rails ID. A mass or body of slurry of appreciable height is obtained immediately in advance of the distributor which would backwash into the stream of liquid discharged from the distributor were it not for the baffle 29 acting as a supporting barrier. Such backwashing would interfere with the impact and penetration of the treating liquid being directed into the blanket. The angle of the distributor l5 with respect to the general plane of the upper surface of the blanket, or that of the conveyor surface upon which the blanket is supported, may be adjusted to provide the desired direction for the liquid discharged therefrom by the threaded rod 30 pivotably connected to the bafile 29 and longitudinally adjustable with respect to the cross bar 32 by means of the nut 33.

The distributor l4 differs in construction from the distributor 15 in the respects that its bafiling means is disposed above the distributing tube rather than below it so that the rounded surface of the tube 35 may ride upon the surface of the blanket 8, and the distributor may pivot freely upon its axles 34 and 36. Baflles 38 and 39 may be attached as shown along the upper surfaces of the tube 35 and to the side surfaces of a feed tube 2la. To the bailies 38 and 39 are secured support members 40 and 4|, respectively. The members 40 and 4| are each perforated with holes 31 arranged in pairs to receive bolts 31a which extend through the trunnions 34 and 36. By bolting the axle elements 34 and 36 to the appropriate set of holes in the support members 40 and 4|, a tilt of the distributor l4 may be obtained which produces alignment of the liquid being discharged therefrom in a direction which results in a desired effect on the blanket. The distributor I 5 may be supported by similar axle elements in conjunction with the adjustable threaded rod 30 to give a desired fixed tilt. Assuming that the angle of the tilt is that measured by the dihedral angle between the path or plane along which the liquid is discharged and the surface of the conveyor carrying the blanket toward said path, the distributors l4 and i5 may be adjusted readily within the range of 30 to 60 degrees. In normal operation, a distributor free to swing on pivotal support means such as the distributor l4, will oscillate through a range of 5 to degrees variation with the desired tilt.

Fig. 2 illustrates the distributor i4 sectioned along the center feed tube 21a. The distributor I4 is equipped with a changeable porous material filter 43 having an upper flanged portion 44 fitting within the recess of an element 45 of a standard pipe union attached to the upper portion of the feed tube 2Ia. The interiorlythreaded rotatable union element 48 is rotatably secured to a third union element 41 by conventional overlapping flanges. The element 4'! is secured in threaded relationship to the end of a supply line 49. Element 48 is provided with handles 50 to facilitate detachment of the fluid distributor 14 from the supply line 49.

Fig. 4 diagrammatically represents a series of walking rail conveyors 54, 55, 5B, 51 and 58 which are used to convey a fibrous blanket 6| in a direction from left to right under a multiplicity of distributors 64 such as heretofore described with respect to the previous figures. The distributors are disposed at a plurality of points spaced lengthwise of the path followed by the blanket of fibers over. the conveyors and arranged to receive and distribute a plurality of treating liquids in successive shower stations. The apparatus shown in Fig. 4 is illustrative of a portion of that used to treat viscose staple fiber produced by the wet cutting method in several successive wet treating stages. The staple fiber is washed or sluiced from a cutter (not shown) through a sluice 60 onto the conveyor 54. In one commercial process the advancing blanket 6| is subjected by the various distributors, in the following order recited, to streams of recirculated water, fresh hot water, a desulfurizing solution containing sodium sulfide or the like, more water, a bleach solution, water, and a soap solution. Squeeze rolls are disposed along the path of the blanket at points where it is desired to express the liquid from the blanket to a greater degree than can be accomplished by the action of Walking rail conveyors. For example, a squeeze roll may be positioned to squeeze the blanket after the sulfide or any other of the treatments before subjecting it to a washing treatment. Catch basins 66 provided with pumps 61 are positioned under the conveyor to receive the liquid that drains through the spaces between the rails I0. The basins may be arranged in any manner desired to recirculate treating liquids. For example, treated water may be pumped from one basin to a distributor at a less advanced position along the blanket path for more eflicient use thereof.

The process just indicated with respect to viscose staple fiber is merely illustrative of the many uses to which the invention may be applied in connection with the preparation of all types of synthetic staple and natural fibers. The

fluid distributors may be used with any type of blanket conveyor having a sufficiently opened or foraminous surface to permit drainage of liquid. Such a liquid distributor system as described may be canted at small angles which do not appreciably interfere with the normal progress of the blanket. The fluid distributors may be held in a fixed position by adjustable means such as the rod 30 which holds the distributor IS in a fixed position or they may be allowed to ride upon the surface of the blanket as it passes un der them while free to swing on pivotable supports in the manner of the distributor l4 as shown in Fig. 1.

It is found, for example, in a conveyor 38 inches wide that two pieces of pipe may be formed into a T manifold already described with respect to distributors l4 and I5 of Fig. 1. The horizontal branch of the T may be provided with inch holes having parallel axes spaced with centers approximately 1% inches apart although many other arrangements as to size and spac ing of the holes are satisfactory. The distributor operates successfully when positioned so that the jets of fluid issuing from the holes discharge into the blanket along a plane or path extending at an angle of approximately 40 degrees with the surface of the conveyor supporting the blanket. With the distributor canted at such an angle, the fluid satisfactorily penetrates a depth of five inches when supplied. at a pressure of at least 30 pounds per square inch.

The fluid stream as it penetrates the blanket is deflected and its force is dissipated throughout the section of the blanket which has passed under the distributor. The deflection may be accomplished entirely by collision of the sheet of liquid with the relatively dense unfiuifed blanket portion continuously passing into the path of the liquid discharged from the distributor, or if the stream is sufficiently powerful, a portion of it may reach the surface of the conveyor. The pressure may be varied to produce any penetration desired. Preferably, the liquid sheet or portion thereof should not reach the conveyor surface with sufficient force to wash fibers through the openings of the surface and cause appreciable fiber loss. Generally, it will be desired to penetrate the blanket almost completely; a preferable manner of operating the fluid distributor is to impart merely such velocity to the fluid that its force becomes entirely dissipated as it reaches the lowest strata of the blanket.

The action of the liquid applied from the distributor is such that the portion of the blanket which most recently passed into the liquid stream takes the form of a liquid suspension of fibers of greatly increased volume in which the adjacent fibers are very effectively separated from each other in a preponderance of the liquid. In addition to thoroughly disintegrating any bunches or other compact masses of fibrous material that may have been contained in the blanket, the fibers are subjected to very thorough and uniform liquid treatment. As the blanket is carried away from the distributor, the liquid rapidly drains out of the fiuffed and opened blanket through the foraminations in the conveyor at a greater rate than is obtainable through the relatively compact blanket characteristic of conventional wet treatment processes.

As a consequence of utilizing high velocity treating liquid to fluff or open fibrous blankets, the capacity of a given amount of conveyor area, assuming adequate permeability of the conveyor to liquids, is increased substantially when using fluid distributors of the type herein described instead of conventional shower devices; or stated otherwise, the washing or liquid treating of running fibrous blankets may be accomplished by the invention in but a portion of the space now allotted for the continuous wet treatment of blankets of comparable thickness and texture.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown, it is understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as de fined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A method of treating artificial fibers of staple length comprising the steps of continuously advancing a running blanket thereof having a generally flat upper face along a continuous path while supporting the blanket from underneath by a liquid-permeable upper surface of a conveyor comprising closely-spaced elongated parallel rectangular areas, discharging at each of a plurality of fixed positions spaced at intervals along the path a thin high-velocity sheet of liquid downwardly into and through the blanket along a plane making a dihedral angle between 30 and 60 degrees with the upper face of that portion of the blanket advancing into the sheet of liquid, each sheet of liquid extending the full width of the blanket and being discharged at a velocity less than that which will cause any liquid passing completely through the blanket to force an appreciable quantity of fiber through said surface, and deflecting upwardly by said surface substantially all of the liquid of each sheet which goes completely through the blanket, said blanket being continuously advanced relative to the sheets of liquid to disintegrate successive portions of the blanket at repeated intervals and to repeatedly suspend the fibers thereof in the liquid derived from each sheet, and draining the liquid from each suspension of fibers through said surface as said suspension is carried by the surface away from the respective sheet of liquid which produced the suspension to repeatedly reform the blanket.

CHARLES W. COX.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNI'IED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 498,889 Sargent 1- June 6, 1893 718,651 McConville Jan. 20, 1903 989,622 Malard Apr. 18, 1911 1,403,126 Lyth Jan. 10, 1922 1,432,318 Brandwood et a1. Oct. 17, 1922 1,514,515 Goldsnyder Nov. 4, 1924 1,516,593 Eyrich Nov. 25, 1924 1,527,369 Meyer Feb. 24, 1925 1,738,421 Corley Dec. 3, 1929 2,386,267 Rolfsen Oct. 9, 1945 2,440,399 Hill Apr. 2'7, 1948 2,440,400 Hill Apr. 27, 1948 2,442,012 Leonard May 25, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 226,213 Germany Oct. 1, 1910 

